Just about anyone who works downtown or cares about the city center felt a tinge of excitement yesterday
when leaders announced $20 million in federal stimulus would be headed
to Indy to complete the Cultural Trail.
Now the project will be finished by 2012, a couple of
years earlier than expected. It promises to beautify the downtown and improve infrastructure beneath the
surface. The trail will attract investment—what company won’t want to be close? Maybe we’ll even walk off
a few pounds.
It also will be done just in time for the Super Bowl. That won’t be lost on hundreds of thousands
of visitors.
Even suburban dwellers who never step foot downtown will benefit, because the trail will be an attraction
both to top talent and companies looking to expand.
One more plus: Construction workers will begin drawing salaries
soon, a major reason the stimulus was passed in the first place. Many economists think the stimulus was a good decision, considering
the ugly alternatives.
Now for the “but.” And it’s a big one. How much longer can the federal
government continue writing these kinds of checks?
Federal debt held by the public is projected by the Office of
Management and Budget to explode. The debt currently is 50 percent of gross domestic product. By 2018, it’s projected
to shoot to 85 percent. And don’t ask about the distant future; the trajectory is toward fiscal oblivion.
Keep
in mind that the figure needs to be 60 percent or below to stay in the European Union. Sixty percent also is a standard promoted
by the International Monetary Fund.
Republicans resist fighting the debt because they fear tax increases. Democrats
are hard to get on board because they don’t want to cut government.
Let’s fast-forward a couple of
years. If the stimulus accomplishes the goal of keeping the economy out of the abyss, what should the government do? Cut nonessential
projects like the Cultural Trail? Raise taxes?
Thoughts about the trail itself?
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Welcome to the archives for NewsTalk, an IBJ blog published from November 2007 through December 2010.
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This is a big help. Thanks for share it here.
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Doug Henning!
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These guy were thugs — they grew up in freaking Haughville! Smh, sigh. If the mayor needs/wants "quality" Black Hoosiers who are NOT corrupt, give me a call — I know plenty. Land bank info here - http://www.kubepharm.com/indylandbank/IndyLandBank.html
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Magician and illusionist!
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The basic idea of nice apartments with parking and retail is a good one, but this design seems overwhelmingly big/tall for Broad Ripple. The size could be disguised a bit with lots of big trees/landscaping, but the complex is too massive to blend in easily. That section of canal between College and Westfield will also need to be upgraded on both sides. Nice apartments facing onto a nice promenade with shade trees/plantings could bring together the canal towpath/Monon recreation, the outdoor seating at existing restaurants, and this project into something that upgrades the whole area. A plan for the whole stretch makes more sense than facing nice new housing onto what looks like a ditch. Is there a plan? Does the public have input? Who pays? The apartment idea seems to be reasonable, but Whole Foods is not a good idea for appropriate retail. Besides the store being physically too big, there are already Fresh Market at 54xCollege and Whole Foods in Nora for fancy groceries. Good Earth and Kroger are within walking distance of the Shell site. There are at least 7 grocery stores within a safe bike ride. Whole Foods would add nothing but traffic congestion. This design is on the right track, but there needs to be more work done to ensure that it blends in with and enhances the existing community. A project that large will set a tone for that whole part of town. It could be a real asset, but only if done right.
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Why don't our representatives come out and ask us what we think are the most important things for the fed. govt. to spend money on? Why can't the federal budget be released to the public in language we can understand and in a format of 50 pages or less?
I wish the IBJ would stop pandering to extremists who just want to whine and focus on their own selfish interests. The Cultural Trail consists of major infrastructure improvements--sewers, sidewalks, reconstructed intersections, repaved roads, lighting, landscaping, etc. This is called public infrastructure, which generations of people have accepted should be paid for with taxpayer funds. The day that decent public infrastructure is viewed as "pork," is a sad one indeed.
We pay taxes precisely to have attractive, functional, and long-lasting infrastructure, and this is what the trail provides. It also creates about 1,000 construction jobs over the life of the project. In addition, it has already encouraged developers to propose new projects along the trail, so it is leveraging private investment which creates more jobs and more long-term local tax revenue.
THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING WITH OUR TAX MONEY!!!
As for IPS (as someone mentioned in a snarky comment), the school district received MILLIONS of dollars in federal stimulus funds. In addition, it also received its usual millions of dollars in other state and federal funding. The issue is not that the IPS isn't getting any federal tax funds.
IPS has long had trouble because of its deteriorating tax base. Now, it is has a huge deficit directly cause by the property tax caps and also the recent cut in state funding. People love to join the "cut taxes" crusade, but then they cry when public services have to be cut because there is less revenue to spend on them. We should be raising the sales tax and creating a higher top bracket for the state income tax, and that money should be going to help our school districts. The Cultural Trail has nothing to do with that issue.
For years, Indianapolis and Indiana has done everything on the cheap, and this has resulted in nothing but crummy parks, crummy roads, crummy schools, crummy public safety, and in general a crummy community to live in. I am all for balancing costs and benefits, but the final analysis cannot be focused solely on how little can we spend. You get what you pay for, and with the community we've bought on the cheap it's been a bad deal. It's time to spend a little more and get a lot better.
Guess Andre, Mitch, and Greg can't deliver on the big problems. Much easier to cheer about silly stuff.
Regarding schools, so much $$ has been thrown at schools, so what do they do? Move up start time so that kids are going to school in early August. That forces the need for air conditioning which runs up operating and installation costs. Then, school boards opt for athletic palaces that cost mega millions. Then the federal government dumbs down the entire system with forced bussing and trying to be "fair". Next comes forcing mainstreaming of some children who go beyond the ability to learn.
Costs??? Common sense??? Too much of the former and none of the latter. And we're left with a failure of a public education system. What do you suppose the schools will do in 2014 when the NCLB act forces 100% zero tolerance? No one can live up to that standard.
We have a mess and it's all because of liberal Washington ideas. Find a way to trim costs - do away with the Department of Education and turn it over to the communities where it belongs.
Indy - It's not as crummy as you like to say.
Work hard, play but only after working hard. Bring another along who struggles. Make no excuses for your inadequacies..work harder to minimize them. Improve your knowledge base by reading, observing, listening. Improve your physical condition by regular exercise; eat healthy whole foods, avoid fried or sugar laden foods. Write to your congressperson and express your opinion, Recycle that which is recyclable; do not litter or pollute the world within which everyone lives. Discipline your children. Do not befriend your children but love them unconditionally. Be consistent in your discipline; support the teacher that upholds discipline in the school; teach your children to be accountable for their actions. Do not expect to be given anything that you have not worked hard to earn. If you are poor work to gain wealth; if you are wealthy be generous but in complete anonymity. Be grateful when you do receive a gift, do not point out others inadequacies but compliment their strengths. Seek joy, discourage bitterness. Support the community in which you live through volunteerism. Uphold and respect the laws that protect your freedom. Appreciate and understand your freedom. If you are not free, work for freedom. Know that all things are connected in all places and at all times. Give of yourself so that others can live. Open your ears to invention and progress. Find the commonalities you share with your enemies. Take that which is good and make it better; take that which is bad and make it better. Let your conscience be your guide in moral decisions. Speak in a blog only that which builds up so that all will rise; Be critical of that which falls down on principle; be supportive of that which is grounded in sound principle. Persevere with the knowledge that you are loved.
The Cultural Trail in Indy is a good thing...go from there.
PS Chris...if you feel you need to start giving more money to the local government... I believe they will accept your inkind donation if you feel so strongly that more of your hard earned money should go to bloated goverment infrastructure.
Look, we get the government that we want. And we get what we pay for. We need to decide what we can do without and what we cannot - sewers, schools, roads, cops, firemen, teachers, meat inspectors, bank regulators.
Why did I live in Indianapolis so long? Because I was born in the city and I have parents and other family members who I am very close to. Would I have stayed in Indianapolis absent a family connection? No.
As for schools, my comment was in response to another poster who complained about federal transportation grants (which is what were awarded to the Cultural Trail) being spent on the Trail, instead of IPS. Aside from the fact, that legally federal transportation grants CANNOT be spent on anything, but transportation related projects, I simply pointed out the issue that IPS is not short on funds due to money going to the Cultural Trail, as the original poster seemed to apply.
As for the rest of your comments, they simply amount to a political screed about supposed "liberal" Washington policies, and they do NOT address any of my points about quality of life in Indianapolis/Indiana or spending priorities.
In short, you need to try better at your responses.
Second, IndyGo sucks precisely because it has so few funds invested in it. Indianapolis spends the lowest amount on a bus system for a city its size (and less than some smaller cities), and so naturally it has a pathetic bus system. What is your point? You get what you pay for. Also, I would note that the IndyGo doesn't really have much to do with Cultural Trail?
Third, to address the other items on your laundry list: As for IPS, "liberals" haven't tied anyone's hands with regards to discipline. But, neglectful parents and an indifferent community certainly have lead to a wayward generation. As for welfare, it was ended as an entitlement back in 1996 under President Clinton--that's 14 years ago, wake up Rip Van Winkle. Now, only proven needy families with children qualify for a MAXIMUM of two consecutive years, with requirements to work or get work training or go to school. There is a LIFETIME maximum of 5 years, period. Indiana imposes other additional requirements and restrictions.
Finally, as far as "feeling I need to give more money to government," no, I don't like paying taxes anymore than the next person. However, I do appreciate that as a citizen of this country which has bestowed on me more benefits and privileges than just about any other place on earth, I have a responsibility to contribute my fair share to society, and my fair share is NOT just what I feel like donating to my favorite charity, although I try to be as generous as possible. My fair share also consists of paying a mandatory meaningful sum based on my income to support all the public infrastructure and services which benefit me directly and indirectly by providing a livable community with opportunity for all of its members.